Eye Style: Where’d you get those readers?

Jeepers Creepers

By Kristi Barlette/HealthyLife

No one eagerly anticipates the day their optometrist says, “You need reading glasses.” Perching the spectacles on your nose to clarify if a recipe calls for one teaspoon or tablespoon of salt or to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip in your favorite entertainment magazine only adds an obstacle to one of life’s daily — and necessary — tasks.

But reading glasses aren’t the plain, boring, stodgy accessory of years ago. And, they are no longer synonymous with librarian stereotypes and grandmas in rocking chairs or on a fashion par with fanny packs or “mom” jeans. Today’s frames are bold and funky, expressive and fashionable and a whole lot of fun.

“You want a little revenge when you get older and wearing fun reading glasses is one way to do it,” says Lindsay Sammann, vice president of marketing with Peepers Reading Glasses, an online shop offering nearly 1,000 different frame options. There you’ll find rhinestone-encrusted frames as well as several with animal print. The two-toned frames (pink and orange, pale blue and aqua) are especially popular. The tortoise-print glasses (not just in brown, but blue, gray and green, too) and gold wire rim are some of their top sellers as well.

Kate Spade - Jodie

Peepers’ Head of the Class frame is a twist on the oh-so-trendy regular eyeglass frame made popular these days by Justin Timberlake and Anne Hathaway. Many reading-glass retailers now sell some version of these frames.

Need more proof that reading glasses can be edgy and fashionable? Even Kate Spade, a favorite of fashionistas, has joined the reading-glass frame market with options so fabulous even young, healthy eyes are trying them on.

“You don’t have to walk around looking geeky anymore,” says Barbara Harte, an optician with DiNapoli Opticians in Stuyvesant Plaza. The frames that separate at the bridge, and are held together with a small magnet, are one of her biggest sellers. Easy on, easy off, and easy to track (they hang around your neck).

Heck, these days you can even buy reading sunglasses for all your beach-reading. Yup, gone are the days when you had to position your regular sunglasses over your reading glasses just so you could get lost in a good book, pool-side. “People who need to wear reading glasses aren’t fashion-clueless,” says Peter Granoff, owner of ReadingGlasses.com. “These are people who dress well and care about their appearance and want quality.”

They also want material options, so now you will find plastic, wire and titanium frames on the market. The higher-end metals are pricey, of course, with some frames running at more than $100 — before the lenses — but you can also find stylish frames in the $10 to $15 range at drug stores and even places like Christmas Tree Shops.

Vintage Silhouettes - #7120

The frames aren’t the only part that has seen a style upgrade. We’ve all seen men and women sporting those ropes or chains around their neck in a bid to keep track of their reading glasses. Oftentimes, the holders are frumpy and dowdy and detract from an otherwise chic outfit.

That’s no longer the case. Eye catchers are one popular option, says Sammann. The pewter circles on leather strings come in a host of colors and have a super-strong magnetic latch to keep your glasses with you all the time. They’re specifically designed not to catch on clothing or ruin your nails.

Some of the other options, says Harte, are chains that look like jewelry (and sometimes even double as jewelry) or the lariat. The glasses hang from the chain and you pick them up, open them and hold them up to your eyes when you need to read (think an old-fashion professor with the glasses he held up to his eyes).

“It’s not the most useful thing out there,” Harte says. “But if you don’t want to admit you have to wear reading glasses, it’s a nice way to hide it.”

You May Need Reading Glasses if …

The average person needs reading glasses around the age of 40, says Barbara Harte, an optician with DiNapoli Opticians in Stuyvesant Plaza in Guilderland. The only way to tell for sure if you need glasses is to visit an eye doctor. However, if you’re wondering whether it’s time for a visit, answering these questions from Harte can likely provide a clue:

• Do you telescope your arms? Holding the book or paper farther and farther away may be a sign you need reading glasses.

• Do you get a headache when reading a book, paper or the computer?

• Are you far-sighted? People who are near-sighted get away with not needing reading glasses for longer than people who are far-sighted.